College of Arts & Sciences

Pre-Pharmacy

Pre-pharmacy students will normally enter pharmacy school after two years of undergraduate work. Students who do not gain admission to pharmacy school can remain at NKU and complete a major in biology or chemistry in their third and fourth years.

The usual requirements for admission to pharmacy school are:

  • 2 semesters English Composition
  • 2 semesters Biology with Laboratory
  • 2 semesters Mathematics (Calculus, Statistics)
  • 2 semesters Physics with Laboratory
  • 2 semesters General Chemistry with Laboratory
  • 2 semesters Organic Chemistry with Laboratory
  • 1 semester Microbiology with Laboratory
  • 1 semester Principles of Economics

Sample curriculum

The sample curriculum below includes usual requirements for pharmacy school. Some schools require different prerequisite courses than those listed. Students should find out the requirements of each pharmacy school and work closely with an academic advisor to meet those requirements. 

Semester No. 1 (15 hours)

  • CHE 120-120L -- General Chemistry I with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • BIO 150-150L -- Introduction to Biology I with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • ENG 101 -- College Writing (3 hours)
  • MAT 129 -- Calculus I  (4 hours)

Semester No. 2 (17 hours)

  • CHE 121-121L -- General Chemistry II with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • BIO 151-151L -- Introduction to Biology II with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • CMST 101 -- Principles of Speech Communication (3 hours)
  • ELECTIVES (6 hours)

Semester No. 3 (17 hours)

  • CHE 310-310L -- Organic Chemistry I with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • BIO 208-208L -- Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • BIO 302-302L -- General Microbiology with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • PHY 211 -- General Physics I with Laboratory (5 hours)     

Semester No. 4 (18 hours)

  • CHE 311-311L -- Organic Chemistry II with Laboratory (4 hours)
  • CHE 391W -- Chemical Information and Writing (3 hours)*
  • PHY 213 -- General Physics II with Laboratory (5 hours)
  • STA 205 -- Introduction to Statistical Methods  (3 hours) 
  • ECO 201 -- Principles of Microeconomics (3 hours)  

(* CHE 391W satisfies English Composition requirement)